Australian Open 2020: Injury woes continue as yet another big player pulls out

What's the story?

The injury woes of the Australian Open continue with the withdrawal of Richard Gasquet from the first Grand Slam of the tennis calendar due to a knee injury. This comes after several other players announced their withdrawal from the competition due to similar circumstances as the Frenchman.

In case you didn't know

The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year. In the past, many players have refused to play at the tournament due to how far away it was. Nevertheless, with the improvements in travel, the tournament has become one of the standout events of the sporting year.

The heart of the matter

Unfortunately for fans, several major figures (both men and women) will not be competing in this year's Australian Open due to injury. On the men's side, the notable absentees are Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kei Nishikori, and now Richard Gasquet.

On the women's side, former world number 1 Victoria Azarenka will not be in attendance and most interestingly, Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open Champion, has also withdrawn due to injury.

Due to the grueling nature of the tennis season, injuries are unfortunately commonplace, especially when the players enter their 30s. Whilst the absence of all these players is sad, it is perhaps Andy Murray's which hurts the most due to this recent injury being yet another setback for his highly desired comeback to the top of men's tennis.

Despite these notable absences, however, this year's Australian Open will host an incredibly strong field of competition, especially on the men's side, with Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Thiem (and more) all expected to play in what promises to be one of the most exciting, and important, Grand Slams in recent memory.